We usually think of medical treatment and health advice as something we receive. Take a particular supplement or herbal formula or homeopathic medicine. This is a rather passive form of health care. Patients receive the expert advice of a practitioner and choose to either follow that advice or pursue other avenues of treatment. When someone is in distress, then seeking and taking medical advice is usually straightforward. If the goal is relief from immediate symptoms, then taking a nontoxic approach to solving them is great. We can even learn to administer some of these treatments to ourselves and be more self-sufficient.

However, achieving good health requires a much more active process. Symptoms can interfere with our clarity of mind and can disrupt our lives. Symptom relief is helpful because it can free us from suffering and allow us to pursue our life’s purpose with fewer limitations. One of our purposes can be the cultivation of optimal health. The rich soil for this cultivation takes the form of what we commonly understand as a lifestyle that is nourishing. If we establish a lifestyle that includes nourishment of the mind, body, and spirit, then we are more likely to experience happiness, fulfillment, and good health.

What are the ingredients of a nourishing lifestyle?

Equanimity of mind fostered through meditation.

A healthy diet comprised of natural, whole foods.

Regular exposure to nature, plants, and the sun.

Caring, loving relationships.

Movement of the body through walking, exercise, or moving meditation (yoga or tai chi).

These factors will counteract the many stresses of our lives, the worry, problem solving, and material concerns that occupy us. Cultivating the conditions for health will help to provide an antidote to the effects of stress and help prevent illness.